The late 90s... There's a new wind blowin' across hip hop.... epitomized by acts such as Company Flow, Mos Def, X-ecutioners.... by labels like Rawkus... a refreshing, spontaneous, creative new underground current is on the rise...

Put together by the mighty DJ Morpheus, PHAX 'n' PHIXION presented a selection of 12 fresh, cutting-edge tracks, straight from the core of the new scene.

Including two specially-recorded exclusives by Ge-ology (aka Gerard Young, a rising producer also featured a.o. on the Lyricist Lounge album) and Basement Khemist (new act from the Deep South, produced by the ubiquitous DJ Spinna).

Most of the other cuts were previously out on limited runs of vinyl in the US: there's "Clown Syndrome" by Mass Influence (from Atlanta label Elemental), "Side 2 Side" by New York MC Shabaam Sahdeeq (Rawkus), "Hip Hop" by Jigmastas (from DJ Spinna and his Beyond Real label), "Venom" by Arsonists and "5 Boros" by Non Phixion (both from NY label Serchlite). The West Coast is represented by Dilated Peoples and Red Foo & Dre'Kroon, whereas London contributes a track by Bandulu-affiliated Sons Of The Subway. There's also a Transatlantic collaboration in the shape of Big Twan's "One 4 The Lyricist" (New York's Big Twan and Spinna vs. the UK's Creators and Big Kwam).

Among all these current sounds there's an odd one out: the amazing "Releasing Hypnotical Gases" by Organized Konfusion, a track off their lost, legendary 1989 album, which was definitely ahead of its times.

The cover art for Phax'n'Phixion is by the multi-talented Ge-ology (who has also been designing sleeves for Mos Def and others).